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NDP Razga has run for it all

From the ground up, she has run for it all. Running for ward 4 in Edmonton, for the Edmonton-Whitemud riding for the provincial NDP's and now for the federal party, this will be Hana Razga's third election in a year. And she's ready for it.

Running in the Edmonton-Leduc riding, she said being involved in politics for the past 15 years, and this is her sixth election in such time. And it's her concerns that drew her to the political race.

With the NDP since 1996, she said her platform is not that far from her Party's.

"For me, the biggest thing has always been the environment, whether on the municipal, provincial or federal level."

"I believe that the current government is dealing with the environment with their heads stuck in the sand."

She said there are no firm policies or commitments in place to reduce greenhouse gasses. She said all the current government is doing is blaming the previous Liberal government for doing nothing, and it is used as an excuse for them to do nothing as well.

"I think we have to take the environment seriously with a lot more sense of urgency."

Razga said the NDP are gearing toward a cap and trade in terms of the environment, but she would like a combination of both.

"It makes sense with an economic point of view to tax the things that you want people to use less of. In this case it's the carbon - cars and things that use carbon monoxide."

She said at the same time, cap and trade has been used in Europe and it is very popular there and is working.

Another issue she is concerned about is in regard to social justice issues.

"I think Canada has become a lot meaner country in the last 15 years, and the previous governments of Jean Chretien and with Paul Martin as his finance minister, and now it's even worse Mr. Harper, with his law and order agenda. For example, 19 years ago, all parliamentarians of the day committed to eliminate child poverty by the year 2000," she said. "Instead today, not only is child poverty not eliminated, it has actually increased.

"It is pretty shameful for a country with as many resources as we have."

She said the New Democrats have been fighting for universal childcare and is something she would like to see.

"This has been kicking around for a very long time."

She said former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney promised it in 1984.

She said the Liberals had also promised it in their Red Book, reneging on it when they were elected. Although she said Martin negotiated an agreement with the provinces, Harper cancelled all of them to replace it with $100.

"That does absolutely nothing to create (child care) spaces."

She said under the Harper government, the progress of women has started to "slide backwards", and women have to be vigilant not to lose the progress they have made in the last 25 years.

"They (the Conservatives) eliminated a lot funding for the status of women programs and their initiatives, they cancelled the court challenges programs, and of course, child care."

She said the current government is not doing things in the best interest of the public.

"I am really scared to see the Harper government in a majority," she said. "They sort of migrated towards the centre as a minority government, because they haven't had too many choices.

"They are like wolves in a sheep's skin." She said it gives her shivers to think the Conservatives could form a majority.

"If they are a majority, there's not stopping them from doing what they want."

Razga received her nomination to the Edmonton-Leduc riding on June 24.